Lazer arrived early in central Manhattan for a meeting, only to find himself circling the streets for parking. For several weeks, Lazer and his partner had been working on a contract with a particular client, and today, on Sunday morning, they were ready to sign off and finalize the deal. Lazer was very excited, as the profit it would bring in could support his family for many months.
Traveling in from Boro Park, Lazer made sure to leave early enough to get to there, find parking, and then settle himself for the meeting. When he arrived, though, he quickly realized that parking was going to be a challenge. He drove down every block in the area, but all he found were fire hydrants to park in front of — not too helpful, right?
With no better option, he decided to park in a garage. It was costly but worth it. He pulled into the first one he found, only to see a big, printed sign: Residents Only. He pulled out and continued to the next one. After waiting twenty minutes behind a line of cars, the attendant told him that the garage was full. By now, not only was he not early, he was half an hour late, but this meeting meant so much that he couldn’t give it up. He tried yet another lot, but there a sign read: Open Monday through Thursday, 6 AM to 8 PM. Not helpful on Sunday morning. By now, he was done.
“Why is Hashem doing this to me?” rushed through Lazer’s head. “I’m circling for 40 minutes and not finding anywhere to park? Nothing?” Right then, Lazer remembered that there were some halachic concerns related to the contract. “Perhaps that is why Hashem is withholding a spot from me?” he thought.
If so I can’t go ahead with this deal. Lazer called his partner to tell him that he was breaking the deal. The partner surely thought that Lazer was foolish for not going ahead with the investment, yet Lazer was happy knowing that he was doing the right thing and was grateful that Hashem had led him in the right path, sparing him from signing a document that would be oiver the issur of ribis.
Out of His great love for our mitzvos, Hashem assists us by preventing forthcoming downfalls.
